title: Predictors for increasing eligibility level among home help service users in the Japanese long-term care insurance system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This cross-sectional study described the prevalence of possible risk factors for increasing eligibility level of long-term care insurance in home help service users who were certified as support level 1-2 or care level 1-2 in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from October 2011 to November 2011. Variables included eligibility level, grip strength, calf circumference (CC), functional limitations, body mass index, memory impairment, depression, social support, and nutrition status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 417 subjects (109 males and 308 females, mean age 83 years) were examined. There were 109 subjects with memory impairment. When divided by cut-off values, care level 2 was found to have higher prevalence of low grip strength, low CC, and depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some potentially modifiable factors such as muscle strength could be the risk factors for increasing eligibility level.
authors.affiliation: Program in Physical and Occupational Therapy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 461-8673, Japan.
authors.forename: Kuniyasu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasou
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Sumio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D064650:Home Health Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007353:Insurance, Long-Term Care; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors